Thank you for your interest in joining the Goin’ Postal family!   As a nationwide network of proactive, positive, and enthusiastic entrepreneurs, we are on the path to making our financial goals a reality, and we hope that you will join us to share in our mutual success.

At any point during reading this information you are welcome to contact us with any questions you may have.

As part of our Goin' Postal Shipping Store team, you will be given the knowledge that we have gained from owning and operating our own shipping business, and listening to our ever growing family of franchisees..

In this information packet and in our FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document or UFOC) which you can request by submitting the franchise inquiry form; the link appears at the base of this page), we will give you an idea of what to expect. Those materials answer 99.5% of the questions that people ask us about Goin' Postal.  Obviously you may have additional questions, and we are always happy to answer those in person or by email or telephone.

Please do take the time to read this particular page and the FDD before calling or emailing with questions, so that we can dedicate the majority of our time to answering questions that are not answered in these materials.

• If you have questions about finding the nearest Goin' Postal stores in your area, please use the store locator, which can be found by clicking here.

If you have questions about franchises or to request an FDD.

Goin’ Postal?
Founded by Marcus Price and M.J. Price in the third quarter of 2002, Goin’ Postal quickly proved itself to be a favorite with its customers, consistently drawing a steady base of loyal patrons away from the competing shipping chains.  The Price Family got its start in the shipping business by owning and operating several very successful online retail websites.  Using all the knowledge gained from the shipping and logistics end of running busy websites, The Prices decided to offer their shipping and packing expertise to the public.  Within a matter of months, Goin’ Postal’s first store was busy enough to warrant opening a second store in a prominent location.  After a year of working toward an efficient and streamlined shipping and packaging business, the founders of Goin’ Postal started working on the idea of franchising the company.  Within a few weeks of offering franchise opportunities, the company had sold its first franchise.  By the time the first franchise was ready to open, the company already had a line of people ready to open their own Goin' Postal stores.  Goin' Postal easily reached its goal of 20 stores by the end of 2004, and is rapidly approaching 300 stores in mid 2007.  Goin’ Postal is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the shipping industry.  The cornerstones of Goin' Postal are low, low prices and superior customer care.  We think that is the recipe for success...and our customers, our franchisees, and their customers all agree!

What are we working toward?
There are two types of shipping stores.  Those independently owned, and those that are part of a large franchise chain such as The UPS Store, Pak Mail, PostNet or Goin' Postal.  Both have their advantages, and disadvantages.  The advantage of being an independent shipping store is the opportunity to run your business exactly as you please.  On the opposite side of this is the fact that no one will help when you have a problem.  You won’t have the benefit of an easily recognizable and trusted name.  While the big chains are very strict about how the business looks and runs, they benefit from the increased buying power of a large company for things like supplies and even health insurance.  Being part of a large chain usually comes with a hefty price tag, sometimes in the hundreds of thousands of dollars just to get into business.  Goin’ Postal offers the benefits of being part of a large future chain without that whopping great price tag, and with some flexibility as to how you will run your own business.

This is why we are building our own chain of independently owned franchise stores. 

In a nutshell, you can have the best of both worlds with a Goin’ Postal store.

We can adapt quickly to changes in the marketplace while using the growing number of stores to build awareness and name recognition for our brand.  By opening a Goin’ Postal store, for a relatively small investment, you can get the help you need to get started, and you can own and operate your own store as your own business.

We support our franchisees, offer free training (included in the price of the franchise fee), free continuing education, free telephone and email support, free networking assistance, free advertising and PR assistance, and much, much more.  Unlike those of our competitors who are primarily interested in selling franchises (for a whopping great price tag...some as big as 5 times the cost of a Goin' Postal franchise!) to make their money and then leave you "on your own" for problem solving and continuing education, we at Goin' Postal are more interested in assuring the success of our individual franchisees, and in building a strong chain of very, very happy Goin' Postal store owners and customers.

Here are a couple of articles written by our franchisees on an independent website.  Article 1, Article 2

What is a Franchise?
In opening a Goin’ Postal store, you are an independent franchisee.  You will incorporate your business under your own name, and will be doing business as Goin’ Postal, in just the same way as owning a McDonalds restaurant or a Curves Fitness gym.  The parent company will help you set up your new franchised store.  Once your store is open you will benefit from the growing public awareness of The Goin’ Postal Name.  In addition, we will always be there for you when you have a problem.  Also, as part of our chain you will be able to take advantage of our increased buying power as we negotiate better deals with vendors for everything from shipping to health insurance.  In general, a franchise is a grant to use our Goin' Postal name to operate a packing and shipping store in a specific territory, and to use our GPFC tried-and-true trade secrets, methods, proprietary manuals and software, and other materials to operate that Goin' Postal store, and to benefit from our experience, business acumen, negotiations and advancements with vendors and carriers, continued technical support, assistance, and advisement for the term of your contract with us.  The benefits of owning a franchise are essentially that you get to use a trade name, have a fairly standardized store appearance, receive standardized training, enjoy ongoing support, experience a reduced risk of failure (as opposed to figuring it out on your own and "winging it"), use a pre-tested standardized methodology to run your business, and other perks.

Request an FDD

Read a couple of testimonials...

What is the FDD?
The FDD is the Franchise Disclosure Document and it is the new name for the old UFOC or Uniform Franchise Offering Circular.  This is the legal disclosure document that tells you everything you need to know that is material to the business you are about to buy.  It also includes the Franchise Agreement that franchisees sign and send in with their franchise fee in order to become a Goin' Postal franchisee.  The Federal Trade Commission mandates that all franchises provide this document in an approved format at least 10 business days prior to entering into any contract with or receiving any payment from a franchisee.

Why is Goin' Postal the only company to provide the FDD on its website?
The biggest reason is economy.  To print and mail out an FDD to everyone who requests one, at our current size, Goin' Postal Franchise Corporation would have to collect an additional $400 per year from EACH of our franchisees just to cover the costs.  We don't think that would be fair to our franchises, so instead of spending huge amounts of money and killing hundreds of trees printing FDD's, and paying the Post Office $8 apiece to mail them, we put it right on the website where you can access it immediately, read it online, and then print it yourself for mailing in.

Also, most companies want to get you on the phone before giving you any information so they have more chance of making a sale.  We prefer to give you all the information and to let you make a decision and be comfortable before making phone contact.  We always have a lot of new franchisees joining the chain, so we don't find it necessary to pressure anyone into buying a franchise with a "hard sell" approach.  Choosing a franchisor is very personal and the choice has to be right for YOU, not made by some salesman.

What if I don't want to print it out?
Running a small business is a lot of work, and you will invest a lot of money into it.  We find that if someone doesn't want to spend a few dollars to print out the FDD, there is no-way they will invest tens of thousands of dollars and the effort required building a successful business. 

If you do decide to come and visit us prior to purchasing a franchise, we will email you an FDD before your visit, and will be happy to provide you with a printed copy while you are here as at that point you have already made an investment of both time and in travel expenses to come and see us so we know you're serious.

Do I send you anything right now?
Yes, if you request an FDD by using the "franchise inquiry form" (link below) then you must sign, date, and initial all 7 blanks on the Receipt Pages which is the very last page of the document); immediately upon receiving the FDD, and send only that one page to us via mail at 4941 4th Street in Zephyrhills, FL 33542 or fax it to us at (813) 782-1599.  This is not a commitment to purchase a franchise, this is just a step that aids us in complying with FTC regulations.  Detailed instructions appear on pages 123,124, and 125.  The FTC mandates a minimum-10-business-day waiting period (this excludes Saturdays and Sundays) before you can send back the rest of the pages of the FDD and your payment for a Goin' Postal franchise, and your waiting period begins from the date that you put on the "Receipt" pages.  We keep all of the "Receipt" pages received on file for a number of months.  (If you decide not to join The Goin' Postal Family, we will simply discard your particular "Receipt" page after a number of months.)  It is important to understand that the 10-business-day-minimum waiting period does not mean that you have to make a decision after 10 business days.  You are welcome to take as long as you like to consider this important business decision.  If you request an FDD, then a helpful, detailed email will accompany the FDD and will guide you through the next steps.

Can I send in the FDD and payment right after I receive the FDD? 
No.  You must wait at least 10 business days before sending us the remainder of the pages of the FDD (excluding the "Receipt" pages) and your payment.  Take your time and do your research before making your decision.  The 10-business-day-minimum waiting period is an FTC regulation that is designed to protect people from themselves, as many folks get jazzed about starting a business, and jump into it before thinking it through.  We strongly recommend that you read all of our materials, email or telephone some of our franchisees, and bring the FDD to your accountant and your attorney so that you can make an informed decision about your financial future.  We know that Goin' Postal is a great deal, and so do our franchisees...but we want you to know it too!

What are Goin' Postal's greatest assets?
The name.  With its mixture of humor and direct description of what we do, it has become an invaluable asset to the expanding scope of our business.  While 99% of people love the name...NO ONE EVER FORGETS IT!

Our management, drive, ambition and creative ability.  We are a dynamic team dedicated to the success of EVERY MEMBER of our business family.  Our drive is apparent just from looking at the phenomenal growth of our chain compared to everyone else.

Our approach to customer care.  We actually care about our customers, their families, and their mail and packages.  We strive to approach each customer as a cherished friend and we provide all of our customers with friendly service combined with professional skills and the lowest rates, all in a polished corporate atmosphere.  Our customer care is superior to all others and we’re very, very proud of that.

Our Flexibility.  We will give you a lot of flexibility in how you run your store.  Being in business is meant to be fun, and it’s no fun to have a massive faceless corporation breathing down your neck every moment of every day.  Goin' Postal isn't like that, and never will be, no matter how large we become.

The Opportunity to Offer a Variety of Shipping Services.     While we cannot promise that you can offer each and every shipping service available (as those companies are not controlled by Goin' Postal), we can promise that we will aid you in becoming authorized to ship through all the major carriers, and will do everything in our power to help you to offer all of the services that you wish to offer in your store.  All of our stores offer the major carriers including FedEx, USPS (U.S. Mail & Stamps), DHL, and freight carriers.  All of our franchisees have been able to offer all of the carrier services that they wanted to offer.  Our stores not only offer all the standard larger carriers but also have the opportunity to use their local carriers.  For example, our Texas stores use Lone Star Overnight.  This also takes out the problems of carrier strikes and shutdowns for one reason or another as it never means you are left without a business if one carrier stops working for any reason.

A multitude of other products
Our stores offer everything from shipping to ink & toner and document services to office supplies.  Most franchises only one of two of the products and services that our stores have in their models as it is easier to teach only a small part of what Goin' Postal teaches.  You get eBay chains, ink & toner chains, office product chains, and shipping chains.  Most franchises all come with a hefty price tag for one or two services, but Goin' Postal includes all of these services and more in one model, making for much more profitable franchisees.

We actually test our products and services!  We are the only major chain with a main company store where we test products and services before they are released to our franchisees.  We don't believe in letting our franchisees be guinea pigs for our ideas so we test everything before they ever see them. 

Request a Federal Disclosure Document & Franchise Agreement (FDD)

Read a couple of testimonials...

We are THE Fastest Growing Shipping Store Franchise!  Due to our customer service and low set-up costs, we are the fastest growing shipping store chain.  Look at the other franchise chains like Postal Annex and Pak Mail.  Most of them have been in business for more than 20 years and they only have a couple of hundred stores each.  At the end of 2004 after less than a year of franchising we had 21 operating.  Less than half way into 2005 we had 70 stores open or in the process of opening, and as of the middle of 2007 we approaching 300 stores open or in the process of opening.  Every day we receive inquiries from potential franchisees who have been dealing with the other large franchise chains and these callers have realized that Goin' Postal can give them great training, set-up assistance and general assistance, and continuing education and support... for a FRACTION of the average cost that the other chains offer.

Why is Goin' Postal the fastest growing shipping chain?
We have a business model that is more successful than our competitors, yet we help our franchisees establish their stores for a small fraction of the cost.  If you take the investment required to open one of the other franchises and compare it with ours, there is no competition (and that is what is scaring our competitors....).  While there is no way to take a competitor like PostNet to a small town because of the higher investment, our stores can open in much smaller markets and still be highly profitable due to the low overhead.  With our business model we are able to open successful stores in ten times as many markets as our competitors, and still leave our franchisees with more profit in their pocket at the end of the year.

We also strive to make our franchisees happy and productive members of our chain.  While other large chains have major morale problems, we try to turn around any issues very quickly to maintain a positive direction for the company.   A testament to our success is how our franchisees get their families and friends involved in opening stores so they can share their success.  It is very important to us that our franchisees are satisfied and so we work hard to avoid the problems the other chains experience.

Also, unlike other chains, we don't have an endless line of committees for you to go through to get something done.  Every franchisee has our direct contact info and the cell phone of at least one of our management to have a direct line to a solution. 

The Proof is in the results
Goin' Postal is the only franchisor that gets to boast that its employees purchase stores AFTER they have worked for us for years.  Three of our key employees, after working for us for several years and seeing the success of our stores and the amount of money they make, have saved up enough money and have decided to open their own stores.  There is no better testimonial than that!  We challenge our competitors to show if any of their main employees believe in the system enough to open stores of their own, with their own hard earned money.

What makes Goin’ Postal different from all the other shipping store franchise chains?

• Amazing customer service (see above).

• Attention to detail.

• A family business attitude.

• Super name, logo and product recognition.

• As a small organization, we can adapt quickly to changes in the marketplace.

• As part of our business building practices, we are constantly developing new products and services that are only available through our direct retailing in our stores and on our websites.

• Innovative services such as our mobile shipping stores. ( These are really neat!)

• Currently the initial investment required to open a Goin’ Postal is approximately 25% of our competitors' shipping stores.  Our business model is designed to allow you to open a store with the minimum out of pocket investment and to let the business pay for its own expansion.

• Unlike the other large franchise operations, we are in the shipping business, not just in the business of selling franchises.  Our goal is to own and run a chain of shipping stores, not just sell the logo on the front of the building and take a step back.

• But most important of all is the flexibility that you will enjoy with Goin' Postal.  Your store will be your store and you get to run it in your own way, with a few common sense rules and guidelines from us.

• Superb continuing education materials, support, guidance, access to our creative promotions staff, and assistance from the entire caring, professional GPFC staff.  You are NEVER "released into the wild" and left to fend for yourself with Goin' Postal.  We are here for you, as your behind-the-scenes team to cheer you on and to help you to succeed every step of the way for the duration of your term as a Goin' Postal franchisee.  Your success is our success, and we take that success very seriously.

• Our growth rate is only accelerating.  In 12 months we had over 60 franchises open and lined up to open.  With our low franchise fees and low start-up costs there is no way any other organization in the industry can compete with us on any level.  We anticipated that our growth rate would explode when we reached 100 stores, and we were right. As of the start of 2008, we have 300+ stores in the chain, and are still growing FAST. 

• Now we are achieving major name recognition, why would anyone pay around a quarter of a million dollars or more for exactly the same thing they can achieve that with approximately $40,000 total?  (That figure is an estimate that includes the franchise fee, Point of Sale system, and then what you choose to spend on your build-out, supplies, etc.)  Goin' Postal is an exception to the rule of "you get what you pay for," as we give you a top-notch education, exceptional set-up and general assistance, and a plethora of FREE continuing support and education.  You get far more than you pay for when you go with Goin' Postal!

How much will I make?
Just like every other franchisor, we can’t project what your store will do as every store is going to be different based on the location, the initial investment, the economic conditions of the surrounding area, the overhead, your management style, parking availability, square footage and layout of your shop, your customer service skills, and a wealth of other variables.  To get a rough idea, you are welcome to contact both Goin’ Postal and other shipping store owners to ask them how they are doing and what is working for them.  A good idea is to visit franchise and business re-sale sites on the internet and take a look at the sales and profit figures listed for retail shipping businesses. We have recently consolidated out operation to include our main company store in our financials.  Ask for a copy of our latest audit or review to see how our main company store did over the last quarter.  There is no guarantee that you store will perform the same for a variety of reasons, some of which are listed above.

Can I get a business plan?
Yes, but as the business plan contains sales projections and targets we can only supply them to franchisees that have already signed a franchise agreement and submitted a franchise fee.  This is to avoid the sales figures in the business plan influencing your decision to become a Goin' Postal franchisee.

What kind of salary should I pay myself?
At the beginning, none.  It is more realistic to focus on making your business successful than on taking money away from your brand new business to pay yourself.  This is why we like to see 6 months worth of expenses in the bank before you start.  If you are on a shoestring budget and you need an $8,000 a month income to survive from day one, maybe a start-up business isn't for you.

How do I make money from shipping?
Good question!  For some carriers you will receive discounts based on your volume, and for others you will get set rates dependant on what we have negotiated.  The discounts received vary depending on the service you are selling to the customer.  For example: Next Day Air and international services receive a far higher discount than ground services (basically, the more profitable a service is for the carrier, the higher the discount).  Also, please see the section below in reference to how GPFC allows each of its franchisees to set his/her own mark-ups, and why.

Request a Federal Disclosure Document & Franchise Agreement (FDD)

Read a couple of testimonials...

As well as the discounts that you will receive, you will also mark up the rates, which will increase  the spread between your retail price and discounted wholesale price, thereby increasing your profits even more.

In a deal with DHL our stores will soon be able to sell USPS products and services cheaper than at the Post Office.

Can you tell me how much money I'll make on each box shipped from my store?
No.  No one can tell you that simply because each and every package will be different, and because that question cannot be answered for even one package without knowing a wealth of factors, just a few of which are: the carrier your customer chooses (FedEx, DHL, USPS, etc.), your discount tier, the speed of service desired by the customer (various speeds have various discounts as explained above), the amount of insurance desired by the customer, the dimensions of the package (LxWxH), the weight of the package, the Zip Code of origin, and the destination Zip Code.  Also, GPFC understands that every town and city is different, and thus GPFC permits its franchisees to set their own mark-ups to reflect the climates of their local marketplaces.   For example, a store in Los Angeles will most certainly charge rates that differ from those charged in Oneonta, Alabama because these two markets are so vastly different.  The only guidelines that GPFC is extremely strict about are that price gouging is never permitted, rates are always to remain competitive within the local marketplace in question, and that the GPFC mottos are to be remembered and lived by: "Remember that every customer is someone's parent, grandparent or friend, and should be cherished and treated like gold," and  "It's okay to make an honest living.  It's NEVER okay to overcharge."

Do other franchises get different discounts?
Yes.  Depending on their size and affiliation, some get a little more, most get less, but as a Goin' Postal Franchisee you will always come out ahead of those store owners since the Goin' Postal royalties are only a flat $300 per month with no ad fund contribution.  Franchisees of some of the larger chains pay an average of $4,000 per month in royalty and ad fund contributions for which they receive less support then we provide for $300 per month!  If you consider our largest competitor who's franchisees get a few extra percent on their WHOLESALE cost of their shipping, but then pay 8.5% royalties and ad fund on their RETAIL sales of their shipping, who is getting a better deal?

How much work is involved?
Running your own business is the most rewarding career anyone can ever have, but the 9-5 of a regular employee’s life will be a thing of your past.  For the first few years you will eat, sleep and dream your business.  You will work harder and for longer hours than you could ever imagine, but you also enjoy the great pride that comes with owning a successful business that you have cultivated.  The more employees you have, the less you will have to do, but obviously the less profit you will make at the end of the year.

What about setting up my store?
Goin' Postal also has a different approach to actually setting up your store.  While with the other chains you can easily spend over $100k just constructing your store (not including anything else like copiers, franchise fees or rent!), Goin' Postal will show you how to do EXACTLY the same build out for around $5k!  It's not magic....  When the other large chains send in their own contractors to set up your store and charge you $100k for it, the chain may be getting a large "kickback" from the work and supplies.  We'll tell you what to do, you can paint the walls, build the counters, install mailboxes, all with our advice (and even with our help if it's not done when we get to your store), and thus we can save you small fortune.  Everyone has someone who can help them, whether it's a brother in law who's a contractor, or a friend who knows how to swing a hammer. Even if you do decide to hire a contractor, shopping around locally can save you tens of thousands of dollars and we will always help with consulting with your contractor of choice and supplying plans.

We have recently contracted with a professional store fixture design and installation company to produce store-in-a-box setups that can be installed in as little as a day.  Even with this new service it is still far less expensive than any of our competitors  and can be installed in a matter of hours.

Turn-key store option
We understand that a lot of potential franchisees don't have the time to do everything necessary to establish a new store so we do have a turn key option that allows you to just walk in and be handed the keys to your new store and be ready to go.  Our complete turnkey system is only $117,000 and includes EVERYTHING even down to your rent and utility deposits.   Visit our turn-key information for more information on this service.

What does it take to run a business?
It takes more commitment, energy, and passion to run your own business than it does to work for someone else.  There is no taking a day off because you have a headache, or because you want to go to the beach.  It also takes a more adventurous personality and a quick-thinking brand of intellect, as no matter how much you plan, you never really know what is going to happen tomorrow with your business.

Starting a business takes a lot of sacrifice that most people aren't willing to make.  If running a business were easy, everyone would have one.  Everyone will say, "I'd love to start my own business," but in reality, only 10% of people ever take the plunge and do it.  Out of that 10%, only 10% will be successful.  The numbers alone demonstrate that only 1% of people really have what it takes.  With dedication, drive and realistic expectations, anybody can be part of that exclusive 1%, but if you go into business with the notion that you'll be driving big fancy cars in 6 months, moving into a palatial estate home soon, and relaxing on an island while your staff does all the work, you'll be sadly disappointed.  It takes years of hard work to make it, and you have to be willing to struggle to make your life better.  If you can't take the stress of juggling bills every now and then, you won't make it.  If you think, "I'll never have to juggle bills because I already have lots of money," you may not have the hunger to succeed, or realistic plans, and you still might not make it.  And if you don't like to take responsibility for things when they go wrong, then you definitely won't make it.  Running a business, and every problem that needs to be dealt with in that business, is ultimately the responsibility of the owner.  If you want an easy life, the only answer is to work for someone else.

Most franchises will NEVER tell you that you could fail using their system, it's just buried somewhere in their FDD to remove liability, but they ALL want you to think that their system is the only guaranteed way to make money.  The fact is, there is no guaranteed system.  It doesn't matter whose logo is on the front of your store, the business ultimately succeeds or fails because of you.  You have to stick to the system.  You have to put in the hours.  You have to do the work.  Franchisors hide their failures and problems from potential franchisees in a myriad of ways.  We don't.  We've had a few stores fail.  However, the failures were not a result of the system.  The few folks in our chain who make it went into business looking forward to the private island and big cars, and were disappointed within 3 months and simply gave up, or had irresolvable partnership problems, or didn't stick to our program in any way...and quite frankly, simply just didn't have what it takes to be a business owner.

Before you start a business, what you have to ask yourself is: "Am I willing to give my business 100% of my effort for as long as it takes in order to make it a success?"

One of our first tests for who we will approve as a franchisee is a person's attitude toward this information and the FDD.  If we have a potential franchisee complain that there is too much information to read on the website, there's no way that he/she is ready to commit 100% to running a business.  The same thing goes for the FDD / Franchise Agreement.  We email FDD's instead of printing and mailing them which saves us approximately $70,000 a year, which in turn means that we can keep our franchise fee and royalties low because we don't need to charge our existing franchisees to help us cover what would be an entirely unnecessary expense.  If a potential franchisee doesn't want to print out an FDD because of the $3.00 worth of ink and paper, there's less than a 1% chance that he/she will invest the time and money to open a store.  Another test is when we actually receive the FDD and Franchise Agreement with a check, and it's filled out incorrectly and the person hasn't asked for help.  If it's filled out completely wrong, it means it was never read, and anyone willing to sign a 200+-page document without reading it probably won't make it in business....  You should always read contracts before you sign them.  We like nothing more than to get a contract that someone has covered in highlights, as it shows that he or she looked over every aspect of it and gave it careful consideration before sending it in.  We have someone on staff whose primary job is to walk new franchisees through filling out the FDD and Franchise Agreement so that they fill it out properly.  All you have to do is call and ask for help with it, and she will cheerfully walk you through it, step-by-step. You are always welcome to call us and ask us about items in the Franchise Agreement and we'll explain them to you.

We understand what it takes and we know firsthand about the sacrifices you will make, as we already made them ourselves years ago. Our chain is a bit different then some of the others since the founders of the chain (now the CEO and President of GPFC) aren't typical executive-types.  They both worked behind the counter in the first store, and built the chain from scratch.  When we started the first store, we traded our nice car for a delivery van, cooked meals at home instead of eating out all the time, and had internet access at work only instead of at both our office and at home.  We worked nights and weekends, and we managed both time and money very, very carefully because that is what it was going to take to become successful in our endeavors.  The business HAS to take precedence over fun (expensive) activities until it is successful.  We worked hard to make the first store a profitable, self-sufficient enterprise, and we still oversee its operation to this day.  Everything we teach franchisees to do for their stores, we do for the main company store and that is why it continues to grow, every day, into its place among the most successful shipping stores in the country.  That's another reason why you should consider Goin' Postal over the other chains.  We have a company-owned store that we run every day, just as if it were a franchise. We test products, services, and marketing programs to make sure they work BEFORE we recommend them to our franchisees for use in their stores.  Other chains don't have company stores, so you have to wonder how, in good conscience, they can recommend that their franchisees use products, services and marketing plans that haven't been tested in a company store.  We test everything first in the company store.  If it doesn't work, our franchisees never hear about it.  If it's a money-maker, we roll it out to the chain. 

Your personality vs. your business
One of the most important personality traits is to be friendly.  Running a small business is all about making your customers feel special.  Customer service is why a person will visit your store, and will be happy about it.  If you pamper your customers, they will come to you, their caring neighbor, and will prefer to pay you for services rather than giving their hard-earned dollars to one of the larger faceless corporate stores like The Wal-Mart Business Center, or Office Max. 

Nothing makes a customer feel more special than knowing his name, being kind to him, and knowing at least a few details about his family.

Superior customer service, a positive outlook, necessary skills, confidence, energy, drive, and a friendly demeanor will be your best assets.

Request a Federal Disclosure Document & Franchise Agreement (FDD)

Read a couple of testimonials...

Do I need to know how to type or be good with computers?
The entire shipping industry is run by computers, so understanding what "right click", "tab", "minimize", and other computer terms mean are pretty much a must (or you should at least be willing to learn!), as is typing ability.  If you are not computer savvy, you may want to at least take a computer class at a local community college or purchase a typing tutorial program at Staples or another office supply store.  Generally, the faster you can type, the faster you can process shipping labels, which equal money in your pocket.  (That's a great incentive to learn to type, right?!)

Do I need good credit?
No, but it obviously helps.  Borrowing money for equipment is obviously easier if you have good credit.  As part of our commitment to your success, we will help in any way we can.  If you are looking to finance your business through a loan you will definitely need good credit.

Can I get funding?
As it's a fairly small investment most franchisees never seek traditional funding, but it can be arranged if necessary.  Goin' Postal Franchise Corporation is also testing a limited program designed to help its franchisees with their initial franchise fee when opening additional stores.

We have several lenders willing to loan money to our new franchisees.  One of the more beneficial lenders will loan you the required startup capital as a five year lease arrangement which makes your repayments completely tax deductible!

We are one of the major franchises approved for expedited loan processing by the SBA (you can find our listing on www.franchiseregistry.com/Registry/).  Our main financing partner can get you competitive rates with a quick turnaround.  We also work with another company that can help you to access your own 401k or IRA for investing in your new business.

Do you have a business plan that I can use?
Yes.  Our business plan is available to franchisees that have already signed a franchise agreement and submitted a franchise fee.  We cannot provide it before you are franchisee as it contains sales figures and will influence your decision to join our chain.  We want you to make that decision yourself and then be happily surprised.

Accessing my IRA or 401k?  How does that work?
Our affiliate will set up your new corporation, and a new retirement account within the new corporation, and then roll over your old retirement account into the new account.  Then your retirement account purchases stock in the new company as an investment, just as it would purchase stock in GE or Wal-Mart as an investment.  The money paid to purchase the stock from the new company is then available to the new company for everything from your franchise fee to buying equipment and paying rent.  We aren't in the business of helping people to access their 401Ks or IRAs, but if you have specific questions about the necessary steps and the process, we can direct you to financial professionals who can answer those questions for you.

Request a Federal Disclosure Document & Franchise Agreement (FDD)

Read a couple of testimonials...

Credit Cards, etc.
Most people have several credit cards available to them which can also be used for just about everything involved in opening your store.  Goin' Postal is the only franchise that has arranged to be able to accept your franchise fee via credit card, and we can also charge your Point of Sale System to your credit card.  The only thing we don't recommend using your credit card for is cash advances, as these carry a much higher interest rate.

How much money should I have set aside?
We recommend setting aside approximately 6 months' worth of BOTH living expenses (this will vary according to your particular lifestyle, family, region, etc. so we cannot offer a ballpark figure) AND 6 months' worth of operating expenses (again, this will vary due to your particular area and your specific needs) combined.  If you set aside 6 month's worth of total expenses, then you can relax a bit and can enjoy owning your own business rather than worrying about those expenses.

When should I open my store?
Obviously, in most parts of the country, Christmas is the busiest time of the year for a shipping store, so the closer you open to Christmas, the quicker you will potentially become busy.  However, the earlier you open in the year, the longer you will have to become established, to advertise and to become involved in your community's events, and to become proficient with the software and in the business in general.  Generally most stores see a 3x to 4x increase in their average business during the holiday season.  With this in mind, obviously the longer you are open and gaining new customers the better your holiday season will be. 

Seasonality of your location should also be taken into consideration.  For example, if your town is busy in the summer months, you should consider opening a couple of months before the season begins.

How long does it take to open my store?
About a month to six weeks.  From day one of obtaining permits and licenses, to you being in business with your doors open, the entire process should take less than a six weeks.  Your initial groundwork will be to find a location.  As it takes approximately 6 weeks to open your store, training will be booked on a first come, first served basis as the deposits and contracts are received at our headquarters.

Where should my store be?
We will help with this based on your initial scouting of your chosen business area.  The benefit of a high traffic and high visibility location must be traded off against high rent payments, unless you have a large amount of back-up cash available at the time of opening to carry you through until the business becomes established.

Obviously, a fantastic location is a marvelous way to start off, but the strain of $5000 or more per month in rent could finish your business off before it has a chance to become self-supporting.   We want every Goin' Postal franchisee whom we help to be a success and we want your business to cause you as few sleepless nights as possible!

You should also consider parking availability, the types of other businesses around prospective locations and if they would feed your shipping store or detract from it (such as a seedy neighborhood wouldn’t encourage foot traffic), and how close your prospective locations are to competitors and to post offices.

We have several location services available.  You are free to find and choose your own location, you can have us visit the location, or we can find the location for you.

Request a Federal Disclosure Document & Franchise Agreement (FDD)

Read a couple of testimonials...

What size and type of building should I be looking for?
While you can open your store in approximately 600 square feet if that’s all that is available, we have determined that approximately 900 to 1200 square feet is optimal.  If you are planning on selling other services such as office supplies, or plan to have a bank of computers for public internet access, you will need to adjust the store size needed accordingly.

Through not completely necessary,  rear access is a positive aspect of any building, especially if it has a loading dock, as this will make pick-ups and drop-offs by DHL, FedEx and freight companies much easier and in some cases, a lot cheaper.

Ample parking is essential.  No one wants to walk 500 yards to your store with an armful of packages and this could make or break your business.  We have found having 5-6 parking spaces in front of the store, with one being handicapped accessible, is quite sufficient.

Will you negotiate my lease for me?
Definitely when you are using our turn key system.  For franchisees establishing their own store we can still provide professional help to find you a location and negotiate the lease, and we are always happy to give you our opinion on your proposed lease but our advice is to always consult a qualified real estate attorney in your particular jurisdiction if you have questions or concerns about the lease agreement that the landlord or property management company has provided for you.  Real estate law can be tricky and lease agreements can vary greatly from a single page written between you and the landlord, to 150 legal documents, thus it is always a good idea to consult a qualified legal professional who is familiar with the standards and practices in regard to such matters in your particular region.  GPFC does negotiate leases through it's turn key package.

How much should I anticipate spending to open my store?
Our current franchise fee is $15,000 and the cost of one POS is $4,700.  Your additional investment will be around *$20,000 (for equipment, rent, etc.), making your entire investment approximately $40,000.  (*Amounts for rent and other expenses will vary from region to region and may be higher or lower in YOUR particular area of the country.)  These numbers are based on actual results from franchisees opening their stores by doing the work themselves.  By hiring a contractor it is possible to add another $40,000 to the expenses, and that's why we recommend you do it yourself.....

The majority of your investment can be financed either through loans or credit cards, as most of it will go toward construction and equipment.  Bear in mind, however, when deciding whether to invest cash or to put expenses on a credit card, that $20,000 on your credit cards will give you a hefty bill to pay at the end of each month.

Obviously, if you choose our turn key store option you should be open on day 1 with exactly $117,000 invested in the location.

Can my royalty structure change once I'm a franchisee?
No, when you become a franchisee, you are signing for your royalties for the term that you own your store and the royalties that are current in the Franchise Agreement you sign are what you will pay.

Do you tell me where to put my store?
No, we let you decide, as it's your business.  You know your town better than we do, but we are happy to help you choose between several locations if you are in a quandary.  Important details are: location, square footage, rent, number of parking spaces, traffic access to store and parking (from both sides of the street versus one side of a divided highway, etc.), presence or absence of a loading dock, is there both rear and front entry to the store (rear entry is nice for your carriers, as packages can come in the front with the customers and can be loaded onto the carriers' trucks out the back), nearby businesses, building condition, etc.  When looking at traffic patterns don't just evaluate how many cars go through a particular intersection.  Sit in the parking lot with a good book for several hours at different times of the day on different days of the week and WATCH where the customers are going.  You don't want to select a plaza where patrons park, go to one establishment and leave.  You want to select a spot where customers patronize a number of shops prior to departing from the area.

We can assist you in finding a location if you like, just like the other chains do, but we will do it the same way they will.  Our brokers will call a local broker and see what they have and pick one of their locations.  GPFC will visit the location as part of our turnkey package, and can visit your chosen location even if you are establishing the store yourself for an additional fee.  Full location services are included in our turn-key package.

Request a Federal Disclosure Document & Franchise Agreement (FDD)

Read a couple of testimonials...

How is the investment to have my Goin' Postal store broken down?
$15,000 is the amount that you pay to Goin' Postal for training, support and the license to use the Goin' Postal name and corporate identity. In addition to that amount, you would also have to pay for our representative's flights to and from your location (the rep. assigned to you will always try to fly on days and at times that will save you money, and will always fly coach class for the same reason) and lodging during the week when the rep. trains you and helps you to prepare your store for serving the public.

$7,500 is the cost for two required pre-configured Point of Sale Systems (POS) from us.  The POS replaces the old-fashioned cash register and comes with all the software and hardware (receipt printer, credit card swipe, cash drawer, customer pole display, etc.) needed to run your entire operation, and is configured for your specific location.

The remainder of your investment is  not paid to Goin' Postal and will vary depending upon your needs (unless you purchase the turn key option in which case you make a single payment to us and we do everything). That is what we estimate that you can spend on rent/lease/purchase of a location and equipment such as: peanuts, hoppers, packing tables, shelving, product displays, merchandise to sell, boxes, copiers, fax machines, laminating machines, etc. This investment will vary from store to store depending upon your needs, your budget and if you decide to lease, already own, borrow, or purchase used or new equipment. For example: One of our potential franchisees already owns his building and has nearly all of the required equipment except for a peanut hopper, peanuts and boxes, so he won't need to spend much at all on equipment. Other franchisees may start from scratch and will spend more on supplies, equipment, rent, etc. After we receive your franchise fee (again, the franchise fee just $15,000) we give you a list of recommended and required equipment and supplies. We do not fly to your location to buy you staples for your stapler, boxes for your shelves, etc. It is your responsibility to acquire the items on the list that we will provide for you PRIOR to the representative arriving at your store.  When our representative is there he will spend as much time as possible reviewing all of your training so it is important that the store be as ready as possible when he arrives.

Again, the amount that you need to pay to Goin' Postal is only $15,000 for the franchise fee and $4,700 for a Point of Sale system, plus our representative's expenses to fly to and from your location and to stay there for one week while he does refresher training with you, helps you to put finishing touches on your store, helps you at your grand opening, and helps you to serve your customers.

How do your investments compare to other stores?
Source: Entrepreneur.com (figures provided by each franchisor).  We will try to keep these numbers up to date but their prices may change without notice.  If you seen a figure that has changed please let us know and we will get it updated.  Our own figures are updated regularly to reflect changing costs.

*Most of this can be easily financed leaving your out of pocket expenses almost $0.

*Subsequent store franchise fees may be discounted by each individual company.  Check their FDD for details.  The amounts shown in the total Initial investment table above include the initial franchise fee.

Why do you charge a flat fee for your royalties?
The general practice in the franchise business arena is to charge a monthly royalty based on your gross sales, so the more successful the franchised location is, the more money the parent franchisor makes.  We don't think this philosophy is fair, and just because everyone else charges more than necessary, that doesn't make it the right thing to do.

This will be YOUR business.  The harder you work, the more money YOU should make.  If you have to pay a royalty that is based on a percentage of your sales, however, that means that the harder YOU work, the more money the franchisor makes, and we just don't agree with that at all.  At Goin' Postal, we have a hard time understanding how some retail shipping franchisors can justify taking fifty or sixty thousand dollars per year in royalties and ad fund contributions in order to provide the same services for their franchisees that we provide for our franchisees.

We know what it costs us to support an established  franchisee each month, and we have set our $300 monthly royalty slightly above this amount (after all, we ARE a business...).

By charging a flat rate royalty, we have also streamlined the accounting process and have made substantial cost savings that can be passed on to our franchisees.  Now, instead of chasing franchisees who are late in filing and paying their royalties each month (like most franchisors do), Goin' Postal's flat rate royalty system is an efficient automatic draf